What are the use cases to choose CALCULATETABLE over CALCULATE?

[UsePowerBI]

Hello

Why would you choose CALCULATETABLE over CALCULATE?

I understand the first returns a table and the second a column, but can you describe some situations that the first is better or the only option to calculate something?

Thanks!

[eliasayyy · Accepted solution]

i personally mostly use calculate table inside big measure that  i need to include VAR with summarize or the x funtions like SUMX , MAXX... and so on or to create virtual relatiosnhips or generate temp table or you wnat to compare measure vs measure in table visual..

for example i need to deeply filter my table before summarizein gso i do 

VAR = SUMMARIZE(
CALCULATETABLE(...

or i want my top 10 inside a table

CALCULATETABLE( TOPN( 10, ...)..

while calculate i only use for apllying filter sto my expressions and they dont need deep understanding

more over , CALCULATE modifies a single value (or an aggregate value), whereas CALCULATETABLE returns an entire table.

[aj1973]

Hi @UsePowerBI 

https://www.sqlbi.com/tv/calculate-calculatetable-dax-guide/

[R1k91]

I don't think it's correct to say CALCULATE evaluates a column.

CALCULATE produces a scalar value. if you project that calculate (using a measure for example) in a table it will "resamble" to a column but it remains a scalar computation executed multiple times in different filter context.